Process of manufacturing coal-gas.



PATENTED JUNE 14, 1904. PADFIELD.

T. XSETTLE L w. PRooBss oF MANUFACTURING COAL GAS APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1903. N0 MODEL.

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Patented June 14,1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

TOM SETTLE AND WILLIAM ALBERT PADFIELD, `OE EXETER, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF MANUFACTURING COAL-GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 762,495, dated June 14, 1904. Application led May 23, 1903. Serial No. 158,388. (No specimens.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, TOM SETTLE, a resident of Haven Villa, Haven Banks, Exeter,V

and WILLIAM ALBERT PADEIELD, a resident of Southernhay, Exeter, in the county of Devon, England,subjects of the King of Great Britain, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to the Manufacture of Coal- Gas, of which the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawingsl we show at `Figure l a horizontal retort in cross-section to illustrate in diagrammatic form the result of the present plan of charging retorts in bulk, and in Fig. 2 we show in sectional elevation an apparatus which illustrates our new method of procedure. i

The details of construction are of minor importance and capable of modification in various respects.

The method of charging horizontal retorts in bulk in the manufacture of illuminating coal-'gas wasteful. Also during the discharging and charging the retorts cool down considerably, requiring some time to reheat them, with a consequent loss in the production of gas.

Now the object of the present invention is to overcome these disadvantages While at the same time simplifying the process of carbonizing coal. Among the resulting advantages are a considerable increase in the yield of gas per ton of coal, a gas of higher value, an improved quality of coke, an economy of labor, and areduction in the cost of raw material, as by this invention a waste product in the shape of small or dust coal or slack may be used.

To this end our invention consists in so gradually building up the coal in the retort that while the greater portion of the mass therein is kept incandescent there is always an unearbonizedlayer at the top in the best position for conversion into gas of high quality, and free communication is maintained between this layer and the outlet-pipe of the retort.

Referring then to Fig. l, A is the retort of the ordinary D form, and B C represent the charge of coal lying on the ioor of the retort. The retort being heated externally, the

portions of the charge lying next the walls of the retort become comparatively quickly carbonized and form a mass of red-hot coke, as represented by B. As in this case the carbonization is effected from the outside inward a core of uncarbonized coal will be left, as represented by C, surrounded by the redhot mass B. As the core C gradually becomes carbonized the gas driven off has to pass through the mass B and in so doing portions of the gas become decomposed and lose their illuminating properties and to such an extent'that it does not pay to keep on the carbonization until the whole mass is `completely carbonized. It results, therefore,lthat a por- -tion of the core C remains uncarbonized, and

thus a loss of gas takes place, while much of the gas driven off is impaired and is of poor quality. 'Y

Referring now to Eig. 2, which illustrates the mode of procedure according to our invention, D is the retort, E the mass of redhot coke, and E the uncarbonized coal. As before stated, the mass is gradually built up in the retort; but the uncarbonized coal is always at the top, as at F, and the gas is driven off direct to the ascension-pipes without pass? ing through or in contact with the red-hot mass of coke. The gas thus retains all its illuminating properties and is not impaired by passing through a red-hot mass of coke. This Fig. 2 also shows the character of the apparatus which we employ for the purpose of our invention. G will represent the retortsetting, which will be of any suitable character. The retort will preferably consist of a vertical portion H at top of about one-half the length of the retort and an inclined portion .I below of about one-fourth the length of the retort, the remaining fourth portion K, between the parts H and J, being curved, as shown. taper, expanding downward, and the inclined portion will be of the larger diameter and extend outside the setting, where it will be provided with a mouthpiece L, having a door or cover of suitable construction. At top this retort will be provided with another mouthpiece M, with which is connected a feeding appliance for the coal and the ascension-pipe N or its equivalent. The feeding appliance The vertical portion will be slightly i IOO will consist of a hopper O to receive the iine coal and provided with a cylindrical extension P in connection with the mouthpiece M. This hopper is placed, preferably, centrally over the mouthpiece, as indicated. In the cylinder P is arranged a measuring and sealing device, which will consist of a pair of conical plungers or pistons Q, mounted on the same rod It at suitable distances apart and working easily in the cylinder P. The stroke of the pistons will be such that the top one will pass out of the cylinder P at top to admit of coal from the hopper O passing in between the pistons, and the lower one will pass out of the cylinder P at the bottoni to allow of the discharge of coal into the retort, and thus one plunger Q always remains in the cylinder P,

so that the retort will be sealed and the passage of gases from the retort through the hopper will be prevented. The plungers Q will be operated vertically in anyT convenient rnanner from a prime mover. The lower conical plunger will cause the coal to fall toward the walls of the retort and form, in effect, the cupshapcd pocket of uncarbonized coal, as indicated at F, on the top of the red-hot mass of coke E. This pocket will act as a kind of caldron in which the tar produced by carbonization will be decomposed, the more volatile parts distilling off in the form of gas of high quality, and thus a great increase in the yield of gas of superior quality will be obtained.

In charging the retort care should be taken not to lill it to such a height as to obstruct the passage of the gas to the outlet-pipe, but that the whole surface of the pocket-like or caldron-like layer of uncarbonized coal should be exposed to the space in the upper part of the retort in which the gas is collected for passage to the outlet-pipe.

The small coal used cokes rapidly and produces a superior quality of coke. The discharge is easily effected through the bottom mouthpiece upon removing a plate S, which serves to support the mass of coke clear of the cover until the cover is removed.

When the coke is discharged, the plate S is replaced and the operation of carbonizing goes on as before.

The retorts according to our invention are not allowed to cool down, and the life of the retort is much longer in consequence. There is also an entire absence of the smoke that is usually seen when charging retorts in the ordinary way.

The coal or slack may be tipped into a pit in the ground and raised by an elevator to a conveyer, which will convey it along the top of the settings to the hopper of each retort.

According to this process there is gradually built up in the retort a homogeneous columnar mass of incandescent material having at the top a cup-shaped depression which forms a kind of caldron for the reception of successive layers of fresh uncarbonized coal, from which there is directly produced a very rich illuminating-gas free from tar, all the constituents of the coal ordinarily converted into tar being in this case converted into gas. By thus building up gradually and maintaining in the retort a column of red-hot material and feeding the fresh coal to the top of this column the gas produced is prevented from passing' through a red-hot mass and is caused to pass directly to the ascension-pipe at the top of the retort, which is a most important feature. This process also does away with the core of uncarbonized material, which is wasted in the usual methods in which the gas is generated from the outside toward the center of the retort.

By means of this invention great economy of production will be effected both in mate rials and labor with greatly improved products, whereby further economy will result.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by- Letters Patent, isM

1. In the manufacture of illuminating-gas from coal, the mode of carbonizing coal in vertical retorts, as herein described, consisting in introducing the coal into the top of the retort intermittently in small quantities at 'regular short intervals, and so building up gradually a mass of incandescent material, with a continuous layer of coal in the process of carbonization on the top, whence the gas is driven off upward without coming into contact with or passing through the incandescent mass of coke in the retort.

2. In the manufacture of illuminating-gas from coal, the mode of carbonizing coal in vertical retorts,consisting in introducing coal into the retort in such a manner that the coal will fall toward the walls of the retort and so build up a mass of incandescent material with a cupshaped layer of uncarbonized coal at the top extending' to the walls of the retort, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In the manufacture of illuminating-gas from coal in upright retorts, the mode of supplying the coal to such retorts which consists in introducing it in measured quantities toward the walls of the retort in such manner as to produce a cup-shaped layer of unearbonized coal on the top of the gradually-increasing mass of incandescent material contained in the retort and to leave a space around the Walls of the retort above said layer, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

TOM? SETTLE. WILLIAM ALBERT PADFIELI).

Witnesses:

H. IN. MICHELMORE, ALBERT J. TUCKER.

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